One of the hardest parts of being a new vegan (or even an old seasoned vegan) is trying to keep up with all the new products out there. I must have spent over $50 looking for the "right" vegan cheese my first year being a vegan and I have over 50 vegan/vegetarian cookbooks in my arsenal but not all the recipes are the greatest. I’m the first born so I’m used to being a Guinea Pig and now I’m your Vegan Guinea Pig. So here are my recommendations and critiques. Let me know what you think!

Friday, February 17, 2012

As a student of nutrition I can't tell you how frustrating it is when I hear misinformation and hysteria about nutrition and veganism. The scientific literature is filled with solid, reproducible evidence that a vegan diet is not only safe but abundantly healthy for humans at all stages of life from birth and beyond including pregnancy and lactation. This has been echoed in position papers for years and is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetics Association).
In Jack Norris and Virginia Messina's new book Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet , the authors lead you through a thorough, evidence based journey on the nutritional needs of vegans for every stage of life and give new vegans tips on how to make the transition. I knew this book was a winner when my mom picked it up, read it cover to cover and then said to me "I now feel 100% comfortable with you raising a vegan child, it's completely normal and so healthy for them!" This, coming from my mother is a BIG DEAL.

Norris and Messina, both registered dietitians, discuss protein from plant sources, vitamin b12, calcium, vitamin D and bone health, fats, iron, the vegan food guide, vegan diets during pregnancy and breast-feeding, raising vegan children and teens, vegan diet for people over 50, the health benefits of veganism and how to manage weight, heart disease and diabetes with a vegan diet. Vegan for Life is an essential book for all vegans. Not only will it educate you on a healthy vegan diet but it will empower you with the knowledge to tackle most any nutrition related question that comes your way about a plant based diet.